Clampdown on beauticians over thousands of botched cosmetic procedures

01 September 2023 , 23:01

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Rachael Knappier after filler mistake (Image: Facebook)

Beauticians could face tighter regulation after thousands of botched cosmetic procedures.

The Government has launched a consultation on licensing the booming but largely unregulated industry. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in procedures such as Botox, lip fillers and bum lifts that are promoted by influencers online.

But in many cases, the people offering the treatments are not qualified to carry them out and clients have reported a series of debilitating side-effects. Women’s Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: “We have heard too many stories of people who have had bad experiences from getting a cosmetic procedure from someone who is underqualified.

“There is no doubt the popularity of cosmetic procedures is increasing, so it’s our role to ensure consistent standards for consumers and a level playing field for businesses and practitioners.” Some 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in Britain every year. Thousands of complaints about side-effects such as numbness, swelling and skin disorders have been logged with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in recent years. Save Face, a Government-approved register of accredited practitioners, received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022.

Rachel after swelling subsided (ITV)

Two-thirds related to dermal fillers and almost a quarter to Botox. Rachael Knappier, 31, from Broughton Astley, Leics, was among those affected. Her lips swelled to four times their normal size after a beautician injected filler into an artery. It took 72 hours for the swelling to subside.

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The consultation on “aesthetic procedures” will cover age limits and restrictions for high-risk procedures. It will run for eight weeks until October 28.

Martin Fricker